But perhaps more interesting than the viewing numbers was the way the World Cup itself evolved to appeal to those temporary fans. Sunday's final featured FIFA's first-ever World Cup Final Halftime Show, a clear sign that the governing body was willing to make global soccer speak the language of American sports entertainment. Faced with both the opportunity and pressure of hosting a North American tournament, the organization reshaped its biggest event to be more legible to American audiences, subtly Americanizing the World Cup in the process. FIFA simply made the World Cup an easier-to-sell product, just like the NFL has done with the Super Bowl. But was that a one-off concession to the host market or the start of a new World Cup template?